Sri Lanka torture allegations continue as war crimes inquiry remains distant prospect
Amid a tense political situation and ongoing allegations of torture, a promised inquiry into Sri Lanka's bloody civil war appears no closer.
PHOTO: Sri Lanka's civil war raged for decades.(Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi: Reuters)
PHOTO: Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa is credited with ending the civil war, but has rejected calls to investigate torture allegations.(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, file photo: Reuters)
PHOTO: President Maithripala Sirisena was supportive of an inquiry, but has bowed to pressure to exclude international involvment. (AFP: Ishara S Kodikara)
PHOTO: Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa is credited with ending the civil war, but has rejected calls to investigate torture allegations.(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, file photo: Reuters)
PHOTO: President Maithripala Sirisena was supportive of an inquiry, but has bowed to pressure to exclude international involvment. (AFP: Ishara S Kodikara)
Sri Lanka's new government had vowed to convene an internationally supervised probe into atrocities, allegedly committed by both government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels during the decades-long conflict, which ended in 2009.
However, with a worsening deficit and vocal opposition from nationalists to prosecutions, the coalition government indicated it will not be rushing to set up any inquiry.
Meanwhile, rights groups allege the abuses are continuing.
Freedom from Torture's director of policy Sonya Sceats said a culture of torture was "deeply entrenched" in Sri Lanka's security forces.
"It has been for decades and any assumption that a change of government has led to a rollback in torture is frankly naive," she said.
Ms Sceats said her organisation had been referred eight separate allegations of torture since the National Unity Government of Maithripala Sirisena took office last year.
"These referrals come to us from the NHS here in Britain, GPs, psychological staff and lawyers who act for asylum seekers," she said.
Other human rights groups have reported similar concerns of ongoing abuses.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein told the ABC an inquiry was imperative, during a visit to Sri Lanka.
"Unless you look at your past and distil the right lessons from it, it's never going to be enough," he said.
Mr Hussein said otherwise the country would run the risk of a "charismatic bigot" again whipping up ethnic division.
In light of the ongoing allegations of torture in Sri Lanka, Mr Hussein also renewed his criticism of Australia's policy of turning back asylum seeker boats.
